Now Rafiqul Islam Morol found an alternative way of his livelihood

Rafiqul Islam Morol is a farmer living in the village Mohondi  of khalilnagar union of Tala upazila  under Satkhira district. He has four members in his family which includes his Wife, daughter and son. In 2007 Uttaran started a project titled “Homestead Agro Forestry through Improved Management   Practice” through Arannayk Foundation in this area and he was selected as a beneficiary of this project. The objective  of this project  was to upgrade  the biodiversity  conservation   through engaging  community  people in practicing  agro-forestry  in their homestead  areas and to cultivate indigenous  species  of plants as an alternative livelihood  practice. Another objective of the project was to create a strong sensitization and awareness on planting and conserving indigenous species of flora among the communities.   Under this project,  Rafiqul  with the facilitation of Uttaran, started  to plant different  species  of trees including fruit  bearing  species,  timber producing  species  and herbal  and medicinal  plants. Five different species of 35 timber producing trees, six species of 25fruit trees and three species of 15 medicinal plants were planted by Rafiqul on his homestead garden and surrounding the pond. Rafiqul received training on plantation and management homestead agro forestry, fresh water aquaculture and livestock rearing from Uttaran. It has been five years since he started planting the trees During the reporting year, he earned BDT. 5,000 by selling Sajna(a vegetable).  Additionally, the fruits that he received from his trees served his family’s nutrition demands.  Both of his children are now going to high school. After 2 to 3 years, he will be able to earn yearly BDT. 150,000 to BDT.200,000 just by selling fruit and timber.